


A Comic and a Rustic

by Sansinger



Category: Ancient Greek Religion & Lore
Genre: Apollo's 10/10 parenting referenced, Eventual Romance, F/M, Tags Are Fun, lots of bees, part of the same universe as the soon to be uploaded by a friend Diogenes x Plato fic, the muses actually helped Aristaeus find his wife, this is a joke i swear, why do the actual pagans who believe this including me wanna write this
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-16
Updated: 2021-01-16
Packaged: 2021-03-14 14:20:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,330
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28796781
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sansinger/pseuds/Sansinger
Summary: Aristaeus walked in his garden, making sure not to step on any of his previous plants- the children he sired. He lived a wonderful life out here, if but lonely. If a mortal had someone walked into the realm of the gods? Well, that would be news.But instead, a rather known face came by.Thalia. The muse of comedy.What was she doing all the way out here?
Relationships: Thalia/Aristaeus





	A Comic and a Rustic

**Author's Note:**

> I want to publicly apologize to the theoi for this new universe the discord server is currently creating

Dark.

Dark.

Light.

Helios's chariot had come by, the sky once pitch black was now tinted with orange and yellow. It was another day, with another job to get done. Aristaeus had work to attend to- this morning his herb garden.

The medicinal herb deity had a magnificent garden- a witch's paradise of medicine. Basil, rosemary, and wormwood spread across the acres. All was good out here, in that sprawling garden which felt isolated to Aristaeus. Lovely, indeed.

Then he heard an off sound.

Laughter.

_ Who's out there? _

Aristaeus walked in his garden, making sure not to step on any of his previous plants- the children he sired. He lived a wonderful life out here, if but lonely. If a mortal had someone walked into the realm of the gods? Well, that would be news.

But instead, a rather known face came by.

Thalia. The muse of comedy.

What was she doing all the way out here?

The muse walked down the path right outside the garden, her baggy robes barely catching onto the rocky ground as she moved without as much as a care for this world. She saw everything as an act- life all but a big place of laughter, her own comedy. 

It still didn't fix the fact  _ she wasn't meant to be here _ .

The muses were either with Apollo or at their own domains. Thalia was a stage muse, most comedies simply plays. Out here...odd indeed. 

"Excuse me, miss?"

The muse turned to face Aristaeus, not an ounce of fear or surprise in her. "Yes?"

"What are you doing out here? I would not expect such a high class as yourself- a muse!- to be in the realm of a minor deity like me."

"Oh, do excuse me," Thalia replied, brushing some dust off of her robes. "I am just on a walk. Your garden is lovely, I must admit! Even I can appreciate the beauty and work."

Hmm? Aristaeus was admittedly confused, but he went along. "Well, thank you Thalia. I'm glad someone such as you enjoys it."

"Say, are those herbs of yours your children?"

"Haha! Yes, miss. They are- ask any gardner and they do treat their plants as their children."

"Haha! Indeed, you are true. If not for my domain, I would want to be a nature deity. A nymph, maybe. Albeit without all the deity banging-"

"Haha! You, muse of comedy, are a true genius at it. A patron of the genre, if you will."

"Oh, Aristaeus...if only you know."

Aristaeus titled his head. "About what, miss?"

"Comedy is a life function- a human and even divine one. I am but the patron of it written down. Much like herbs grow in the ground- but you are but the harvester and the doctor with them! Even the gods themselves are a function of the universe, us, the Olympians...excuse me, I do not mean to rant so much…"

"Oh, don't worry at all miss! I can assure you, I am always willing to listen. It's sometimes lonely out here. While surprised, I enjoyed spotting you. Let's hope we meet again."

"May I come tomorrow then? At the rise of Helios's chariot once more."

"Indeed! Until then, goodbye!"

"Goodbye!"

Thalia walked off again, her pace now faster than before. Aristaeus felt graceful- he already could feel the bonding between him and the ever-famous muse. 

It wasn't a bond decaying away soon.

\----

The midsummer heat was never too much for the wind. What breeze Aristaeus did control, he controlled well. 

The light of midday never bothered the rustic god. Not surprising, for the son of Apollo, god of light itself. Helios’s chariot high in the sky did nothing to stop his work or slow him down. But someone else could.

That muse came back. 

She was walking down the path again, humming without as much as a word when Aristaeus came by. He didn’t desire to bother her, but simply took notice. 

Why did she come around again? It was curious, but the answer didn’t matter. There were olives to tend to.

\----

Thalia always enjoyed her work. It was all she ever did, essentially. Write, inspire. That was her immortal life’s purpose.

Lonely, for sure. Her sisters and Apollo were often the only other souls around. Thalia felt for a good long time she could handle it, but could she? Really? Maybe it was time to write that worry away…

The Comedy of Paradise

Cast:

Niobe, a fair maiden princess

Lampo, a spirit

….now, who else to add?

The muse couldn’t find inspiration in her own self. She gave ideas, which left her with little for herself to utilize.

Back to the lyre it was.

\----

Thalia walked out again, back down that old path. She trusted this one little lane- maybe more in its land than anything. There was comfort here, maybe inspiration too if she looked enough.

Or maybe inspiration was the man who came along.

Good Arisateus again, that familiar face. By now the muse could expect him to show up (well, it was near his land). 

“Good day!”

"Morning! Still out here?"

"Oh, you bet," Thalia commented, leaning against the nearby wooden oak fence. "I simply can't help myself. It's so pretty and beautiful…"

"Awww, thanks a lot! I just got my new beehives, I adore them. Kheiron always said I was good with insects, I felt the need to continue more and more of my rustic traditions."

"Didn't your nymph nurses teach you many of your ways?"

"They did! That's how I eventually made cheese, and later on, as I'm sure you know, I discovered the olive. And bees were always a favorite of mine, I had hives before. They always seem to die out though, it's always a very sorrowful time. All my domains are my own children, I care for them as father does to child."

"You sure do know the reaps of your rewards. Besides the honey, your hives give you a sense of parental devotion and care. Admirable."

"Yeah, yeah. I would go through maybe why I feel so, but that's a long story. I'm sure a muse like you has no interest in history- sounds like a job for Clio instead. I should head out-"

As the rustic turned around, the comedian grabbed his hand, still leaning in her position. She breathed slowly, setting both their hands now down onto the wood, staring into his eyes. "No, please. Do tell. I'm intrigued."

Aristaeus sighed slightly, laying his other, equally muscular and large arm to the side. "If you say so."

"My story begins in Thessaly, with my grandfather. His name was Peneois, god of the same river of the name. He was known for many of his children- even Daphne! The laurel leaves herself! He also has my mother, a beautiful princess huntress named Kyrene. She was nicknamed 'the second Artemis', tending to sheep and able to fight lions! Lions! One day, Apollo spied her- doing what I still am unaware of- and almost instantly fell in love. He took her to Libya, and there I was born. Only a few moments after my birth did my father take me away, but not to just anyone. Kheiron themselves- strong, intelligent, mentor of many fine minds before. Jason, Achilles, Asclepius...you see the trend? I was raised by him, grew up around him and made my now-famous recipes. I got a daughter, Makris. I adopted Dionysus himself! He showed up on my shores, so me and my daughter cared for the poor boy. Truly a wonderful life...and now it's of peace. Here, with my garden and my bees in serenity."

Thalia nodded along with Aristaeus's story, flipping her curly black hair. She finally let go of his hand, barely letting him even notice it happened before she started walking again.

"Fun talking! See you soon!"

Aristaeus shook his head, turning around to go tend to his sheep. Thalia was an odd comic…


End file.
